Liquid container featuring improved temperature-regulating structure

ABSTRACT

A liquid container featuring an improved temperature-regulating structure includes a main body defining therein a first space, a thermally conductive member extending from a floor of the main body into the first space so as to make the first space a thermally conductive area, a base having a second space separated from the first space, and a temperature-regulating member when energized conducting cool or heat to the thermally conductive member, so that liquid in the thermally conductive area can be cooled or heated directly by the thermally conductive member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to liquid containers, and more particularly to a liquid container featuring improved temperature-regulating structure as compared to the existing devices.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional liquid container with a temperature-regulating structure, as shown in FIG. 5, has a main body 81 that defines therein a space 82 for accommodating liquid. For thermally regulating (cooling or heating) liquid in the space 82, a cooling chip 83 is provided below the space 82 of the main body 1. The cooling chip 83 is flatly attached to the floor 84 of the space 82, so that when the cooling chip 83 changes temperature, its cooling or heating effect can be conducted into the space 82 through the floor 84 to cool or heat the liquid.

FIG. 6 depicts another conventional liquid container with a temperature-regulating structure. It has a main body 91 defining therein a space 92. A heating device 95 is affixed to the floor 94 of the space 92 in addition to a cooling chip 93. The cooling chip 93 herein only provides refrigeration, and heating is completely resorted to the heating device 95.

While the foregoing two conventional temperature-regulating structures for liquid containers are both somehow effective in cooling and/or heating liquid, the floors 84, 94 of the two prior-art devices are both flat and thus have their conductive capability limited. That is, when cold and/or heat generated by the cooling chip 83, 93 and/or the heating device 95 is conducted through the floor 84, 94, the liquid in the space 82, 92 contact the flat floor 84, 94, and the cold and/or heat is spread upward throughout the space 82, 92. Since the area available for thermal conduction is limited to the cross-sectional area of the space 82, 92, it is often seen that applied cold and/or heat fails to conductively reach the upmost part of the space 82, 92. As a result, it takes long to cool or heat the liquid in the space 82, 92, and is hard to get uniform temperature.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to address the foregoing problems by providing a liquid container featuring an improved temperature-regulating structure that provides fast thermal conduction and uniform temperature.

For achieving the foregoing objective, a liquid container featuring an improved temperature-regulating structure according to the present invention comprises:

a main body, having a circular wall and a floor that jointly define and enclose a first space for receiving a liquid, and the main body having atop an opening that is communicated with the first space, and is covered and sealed by a lid;

a thermally conductive member, being bonded to the floor of the main body, and extending from the floor of the main body into the first space, so that a thermally conductive area is formed in the first space around the thermally conductive member;

a base, being attached to the floor of the main body from below, and defining therein a second space, so that the first space and the second space are separated by the floor;

a temperature-regulating member, being located in the second space of the base and below the thermally conductive member, and conductively transferring cold or heat to the thermally conductive member through the floor of the first space, and the temperature-regulating member having a heat sink located in the second space; and

a power supply, being located in the second space of the base, and electrically connected to the temperature-regulating member, so as to power the temperature-regulating member as needed.

Therein, the thermally conductive member in the first space is attached to the floor from above so as to be exposed in the first space.

Therein, the floor has a raised portion extending into the first space, in which the raised portion defines therein a chamber separated from the first space, and the thermally conductive member is located in the chamber and bonded to the raised portion so as to extend into the first space.

Therein, the temperature-regulating member is a cooling chip.

Therein, the base has a plurality of heat-dissipating vents.

Therein, the base has a top and the main body has its floor bonded to the top of the base, in which the temperature-regulating member is in the second space and inlaid in the top, so as to conduct cold or heat to the thermally conductive member through the top of the base and the floor of the main body.

Therein, the power supply is a battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid container according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial, enlarged view of FIG. 1 showing a thermally conductive member conducts cold or heat to liquid in a thermally conductive area.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid container according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial, enlarged view of FIG. 3 showing a thermally conductive member conducts cold or heat to liquid in a thermally conductive area.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional liquid container with a temperature-regulating structure.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional liquid container with a temperature-regulating structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 depict some embodiments of the present invention that are illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a liquid container featuring an improved temperature-regulating structure, which comprises a main body 1 that forms the container, a thermally conductive member 2, a base 3, a temperature-regulating member 4, and a power supply 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 1 has a circular wall 11 and a floor 12 that jointly enclose a first space 13 for accommodating liquid. The main body 1 is atop formed with an opening 14. The opening 14 is communicated with the first space 13 and is configured to be covered and sealed by a lid 15, so that when the lid 15 is fitted on the opening 14, the first space 13 forms a closed space.

In addition, the thermally conductive member 2 is bonded to the floor 12 of the main body 1, and from there extends inward the first space 13. The first space 13 defines therein a thermally conductive area 16. The thermally conductive area 16 surrounds the thermally conductive member 2. The thermally conductive member 2 has a top surface 21 and a peripheral surface 22. In the present embodiment, the thermally conductive member 2 is in the first space 13 and attached to the floor 12 from above, so that it is exposed in the first space 13. Thereby, liquid in the first space 13 directly contact a part of the thermally conductive member 2 that is exposed to the first space 13.

Moreover, the base 3 is attached to the floor 12 of the main body 1 from below. The base 3 defines therein a second space 31. The first space 13 is separated from the second space 31 by the floor 12. In the present embodiment, the base 3 has a top 32 that is bonded to the floor 12 of the main body 1.

The temperature-regulating member 4 is in the second space 31 of the base 3 and attached to the thermally conductive member 2 from below so as to conductively transfer cold or heat to the thermally conductive member 2 through the floor 12 of the main body 1. The temperature-regulating member 4 in the second space 31 has a heat sink 41. The base 3 is provided with a plurality of heat-dissipating vents 33. Each of the heat-dissipating vents 33 allows warm air in the base 3 to escape outward, thereby enhancing heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat sink 41. In the present embodiment, the temperature-regulating member 4 is a cooling chip, which is in the second space 31 and inlaid into the top 32, so as to conduct cold or heat to the thermally conductive member 2 through the top 32 and the floor 12 of the main body 1.

Furthermore, the power supply 5 is located in the second space 31 of the base 3 and electrically connected to the temperature-regulating member 4, so as to power the temperature-regulating member 4 as needed. In the present embodiment, the power supply 5 is a battery.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the temperature-regulating member 4 operates (by generating cold or heat), the generated cold or heat is conducted to the thermally conductive member 2 through the floor 12, and distributed over the thermally conductive area 16 around the thermally conductive member 2. At this time, the liquid received in the thermally conductive area 16 directly contacts the surfaces of the thermally conductive member 2, so as to be affected by the thermally conductive member 2 and become cooler or hotter rapidly. Afterward, convection is formed due to temperature difference between upper and lower parts of the liquid in the first space 13 and makes the liquid uniform in terms of temperature.

Since the thermally conductive member 2 is intruded into the first space 13, the liquid contacts the thermally conductive member 2 at the former's top surface 21 and peripheral surface 22), and this makes the contact area, or the area available for thermal conduction, much larger than that achieved in the prior-art temperature-regulating structures of the conventional liquid containers as described previously. As more of the liquid in the first space 13 is thermally affected, the subsequent convection is more rapid and significant. As a result, good conduction and uniform temperature can be achieved.

There are more examples of the present invention with merely small differences therebetween. Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in a second embodiment of the present invention, what makes it different from the first embodiment is that the main body 1 has a floor 12A that is further provided with a raised portion 121A. The raised portion 121A invades into the first space 13. The raised portion 121A defines therein a chamber 122A separated from the first space 13. The thermally conductive member 2 is received in the chamber 122A and bonded to the raised portion 121A so as to invade into the first space 13, thereby being as effective as the first embodiment. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid container featuring an improved temperature-regulating structure, comprising: a main body, having a circular wall and a floor that jointly define and enclose a first space for receiving a liquid, and the main body having atop an opening that is communicated with the first space, and is covered and sealed by a lid; a thermally conductive member, being bonded to the floor of the main body, and extending from the floor of the main body into the first space, so that a thermally conductive area is formed in the first space around the thermally conductive member; a base, being attached to the floor of the main body from below, and defining therein a second space so that the first space and the second space are separated by the floor; a temperature-regulating member, being located in the second space of the base and below the thermally conductive member, and conductively transferring cold or heat to the thermally conductive member through the floor of the first space, and the temperature-regulating member having a heat sink located in the second space; and a power supply, being located in the second space of the base, and electrically connected to the temperature-regulating member, so as to power the temperature-regulating member as needed.
 2. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive member in the first space is attached to the floor from above so as to be exposed in the first space.
 3. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein the floor has a raised portion extending into the first space, in which the raised portion defines therein a chamber separated from the first space, and the thermally conductive member is located in the chamber and bonded to the raised portion so as to extend into the first space.
 4. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein the temperature-regulating member is a cooling chip.
 5. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein the base has a plurality of heat-dissipating vents.
 6. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein the base has a top and the main body has its floor bonded to the top of the base, in which the temperature-regulating member is in the second space and inlaid in the top, so as to conduct cold or heat to the thermally conductive member through the top of the base and the floor of the main body.
 7. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a battery. 